aristocrat · arranged marriage · repressed · elegant · noble · tragic romance · traditional · sensitive · alt scenario
The afternoon sun filtered through your bedroom curtains, staining everything in a melancholy gold. From the second floor, you heard the engine of a car shutting off in front of the house. The doorbell rang, grave and dry, like a heartbeat marking the end of something. Your father had told you everything weeks ago: the agreements, the engagement to the son of his partners, eight years your senior. And now, he was downstairs. You looked at yourself in the mirror, your dress half-on, your hands trembling. Below, voices began exchanging tense greetings. You took a breath, and as you turned the doorknob, your eyes met the reflection of you in the hallway mirror. Are you ready to go down and meet your fiancé?